In a classic mix-up that’s going to screw over at least a handful of people with drinking problems, High Noon, the popular vodka seltzer, is recalling some of its 12-pack “Beach Variety Packs.” They discovered that a few cans were actually mislabeled as Celsius Astro Vibe, a blue raspberry-flavored energy drink.
There are people out there cracking open an energy drink to start their day and getting a mouthful of vodka instead.
The very silly, slapstick-y error stems from a shared third-party packaging supplier, which accidentally sent empty Celsius cans to High Noon’s production line. To ensure maximum slapstickiness, the supplier also set up a series of banana peels around the factory for employees to slip on, along with a series of cream pies to safely plant their faces in.
High Noon Announces Recall of Its Vodka Seltzer Beach Pack
High Noon filled those cans with its 4.5 percent ABV vodka seltzer, slapped them into their variety packs, and shipped them out to retailers in Florida, New York, Ohio, South Carolina, Virginia, and Wisconsin between July 21 and 23.
To clarify, Celsius and High Noon are entirely separate brands, each owned by a different company. But for a brief moment, they were one, resulting in energy drink fans unknowingly cracking open a canned cocktail.
A funny side note: A Washington Post article from January reports that Celsius is stocked in Congress cafeterias, so there is a minimal but non-zero chance that a federal lawmaker cracked open a Celsius but got some vodka instead.
The FDA has stepped in, confirming no one’s been harmed but issuing a recall warning due to the risk of “unintentional alcohol ingestion.” So far, the issue is limited to two specific production lots. Still, Celsius urges consumers to check all Astro Vibe Sparkling Blue Razz cans, especially those with silver lids or specific lot numbers on the bottom.
Or don’t. Maybe this awakens something in you, and you realize that candied liquid vodka is the mid-day pick-me-up you’ve been looking for. Either way, you can find what to look for on the FDA’s website.
High Noon’s parent company, Gallo, is investigating the incident and says they’re working with retailers and regulators to manage the recall. If you find one of the alcoholic impostors, contact High Noon Consumer Relations for a refund and to avoid showing up to the gym or work drunk.
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